Fox News’ Brit Hume to Tiger Woods: Turn to Christianity

I think Dan Savage makes a good point here in that by (Brit Hume) saying Christianity is “better” for atonement than Buddhism, he makes the religion a much more attractive option for adulterers everywhere (via Countdown with Keith Olbermann):

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And no evangelist or right-wing christian politician has *ever* had to face accusations of cheating…

5by5

Buddhists don’t offer “forgiveness” for sin, because concepts like “original sin” do not exist in the philosophy. Indeed, there is no judgmental notion of sin at all, as the faith is much more practical, rational, and utilitarian, and less about judgment or blame. This does not, however mean that there is no concept of right or wrong, which is what Mr. Hume seems to have been implying.

There is only living by skillful means, or unskillful means.

If you life by “skillful means”, you try to reduce the suffering, confusion, and pain in the world through your meritorious actions (living by example), and you try to increase the joy, enlightenment, and peace in the world.

If you live unskillfully… you probably work at Fox News. And bad things are bound to follow.

Buddhists do not require an invisible Sky God or pseudo parental figure threatening punishment for them to behave correctly. It is not a faith that regards adherents as children to be disciplined. Rather it presumes that you are an adult who can understand the simple fact of the Natural Law of causation and resulting effect — namely, karma. Or in the Christian context, “Ye shall reap what ye sow.”

If you behave unskillfully, by say…. insulting a religion of 350 million people by displaying your ignorance and arrogance on national television, and even insulting your own faith by reducing it to a narrowminded, judgmental, get-out-of-jail-free card, the likelihood is very great that Buddhists will regard you as a moron in desperate need of an education, and Christians will regard you as a poor example of their faith too.

Karma is a balancing engine. What you put out into the world, you get back. Every faith, and even science itself backs this idea up. By essentially mocking another man’s faith, Brit Hume has sown the seeds of his own humiliation.

One would hope he’d learn from the experience and not repeat the mistake. One would hope. But, please excuse me for this — I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for that.

5by5

Buddhists don't offer “forgiveness” for sin, because concepts like “original sin” do not exist in the philosophy. Indeed, there is no judgmental notion of sin at all, as the faith is much more practical, rational, and utilitarian, and less about judgment or blame. This does not, however mean that there is no concept of right or wrong, which is what Mr. Hume seems to have been implying.

There is only living by skillful means, or unskillful means.

If you life by “skillful means”, you try to reduce the suffering, confusion, and pain in the world through your meritorious actions (living by example), and you try to increase the joy, enlightenment, and peace in the world.

If you live unskillfully… you probably work at Fox News. And bad things are bound to follow.

Buddhists do not require an invisible Sky God or pseudo parental figure threatening punishment for them to behave correctly. It is not a faith that regards adherents as children to be disciplined. Rather it presumes that you are an adult who can understand the simple fact of the Natural Law of causation and resulting effect — namely, karma. Or in the Christian context, “Ye shall reap what ye sow.”

If you behave unskillfully, by say…. insulting a religion of 350 million people by displaying your ignorance and arrogance on national television, and even insulting your own faith by reducing it to a narrowminded, judgmental, get-out-of-jail-free card, the likelihood is very great that Buddhists will regard you as a moron in desperate need of an education, and Christians will regard you as a poor example of their faith too.

Karma is a balancing engine. What you put out into the world, you get back. Every faith, and even science itself backs this idea up. By essentially mocking another man's faith, Brit Hume has sown the seeds of his own humiliation.

One would hope he'd learn from the experience and not repeat the mistake. One would hope. But, please excuse me for this — I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that.